The Relationship between Economic Preferences and Psychological Personality Measures

44 Pages Posted: 14 Apr 2012 Last revised: 16 Apr 2023

See all articles by Anke Becker

Anke Becker

Harvard University

Thomas Deckers

University of Bonn

Thomas J. Dohmen

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA); Maastricht University - Business Investment Research Center (BIRC)

Armin Falk

University of Bonn - Economic Science Area; briq - Institute on Behavior & Inequality

Fabian Kosse

University of Würzburg; Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)

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Abstract

Although both economists and psychologists seek to identify determinants of heterogeneity in behavior, they use different concepts to capture them. In this review we first analyze the extent to which economic preferences and psychological concepts of personality – such as the Big Five and locus of control – are related. We analyze data from incentivized laboratory experiments and representative samples and find only low degrees of association between economic preferences and personality. We then regress life outcomes – such as labor market success, health status and life satisfaction – simultaneously on preference and personality measures. The analysis reveals that the two concepts are rather complementary when it comes to explaining heterogeneity in important life outcomes and behavior.

Keywords: Big Five, social preferences, time preference, risk preference, locus of control

JEL Classification: C91, D01, D80, D90, I00, J30, J62

Suggested Citation

Becker, Anke and Deckers, Thomas and Dohmen, Thomas and Falk, Armin and Kosse, Fabian, The Relationship between Economic Preferences and Psychological Personality Measures. IZA Discussion Paper No. 6470, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2039656 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2039656

Anke Becker (Contact Author)

Harvard University ( email )

1875 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Thomas Deckers

University of Bonn ( email )

Regina-Pacis-Weg 3
Postfach 2220
Bonn, D-53012
Germany

Thomas Dohmen

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Maastricht University - Business Investment Research Center (BIRC) ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, 6200 MD
Netherlands
+31-43-388 3832 (Phone)
+31-43-388 4856 (Fax)

Armin Falk

University of Bonn - Economic Science Area ( email )

briq - Institute on Behavior & Inequality

Schaumburg-Lippe-Straße 5-9
Bonn, 53113
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.briq-institute.org/

Fabian Kosse

University of Würzburg ( email )

Sanderring 2
Würzburg, D-97070
Germany

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) ( email )

Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1
Munich, DE Bavaria 80539
Germany

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